This week we have arguably the biggest news we’ve ever covered on this blog.
Beyoncé Giselle Knowles-Carter has launched a whisky.
There have been celebrity spirit launches before, but none like this. We’ll give you a minute to compose yourselves. All good? Let’s proceed.
The icon actually has whisky in her family. Four generations ago, her great-grandfather Davis Hague was making the water of life. Now his legacy is honoured by a whisky that bears his name: SirDavis.
Beyoncé enters the world of whisky with SirDavis Whisky
To make this whisky, The Beyoncé teamed up with LVMH, the brand behind Hennessy, Ardbeg, Glenmorangie, and more. That meant she could call on the expertise of five-time International Whisky Competition Master Distiller of the Year, Dr Bill Lumsden, head of distilling & whisky creation at The Glenmorangie Company.
While SirDavis is an American whiskey, it takes inspiration from Japanese and Scotch whisky. The mash bill is a split of 51% rye and 49% barley and the spirit underwent a secondary maturation in sherry casks. It’s an approach that makes SirDavis an intriguing and exciting whisky launch. That and, you know, the Beyoncé of it all. We’re also told that SirDavis is “proudly finished, blended, and bottled in Texas”.
“I’ve always been drawn to the power and confidence I feel when drinking quality whisky and wanted to invite more people to experience that feeling,” says SirDavis Founder Beyoncé Knowles-Carter. “When I discovered that my great-grandfather had been a moonshine man, it felt like my love for whisky was fated. SirDavis is a way for me to pay homage to him, uniting us through a new shared legacy. In partnering with Moët Hennessy, we have crafted a delicious American whisky that respects tradition but also empowers people to experience something new and unique in the category. You can taste it better than I could ever tell you — welcome, SirDavis.”
SirDavis is named in honour of Davis Hogue, Knowles-Carter’s paternal great-grandfather, who was a farmer and a moonshiner in the American South during Prohibition. He stashed whisky bottles in the empty knots of cedar trees for friends and kin to find and enjoy. For Knowles-Carter, it was this discovery that made the idea of creating a whisky brand feel predestined. Four generations later, the legacy comes to life – rather than hidden in the trees, bottles of SirDavis proudly grace the top shelves of fine purveyors of spirits around the world.
The brand recommends a signature serve for SirDavis, the Honey Bee (not The Honey Bey). There are several recipes on the brand’s site showing an embrace of a more modern, fun, and mixable approach to whisky. Also, it’s hot in Texas, so you need a nice refreshing cocktail. Or you could just mix the whisky with, oh I don’t know, lemonade…
Anyway, that’s the big news. You can buy SirDavis whisky from Master of Malt now*. Just click the link on the product name. Be sure to check out the full tasting note below, as well as the recipe for the Honey Bee and a list of the awards SirDavis has already won.
SirDavis Tasting Note:
Nose: Tangy Seville oranges mingle with soft sun-kissed raisins, while the sizzling spices of clove, cinnamon, and ginger play with luxurious notes of Demerara sugar and toffee.
Palate: Rich & buttery toffee are followed by an array of spices with cinnamon, clove, and classic rye spice up front. Followed by soft malty and biscuity notes intertwined with a vibrant citrus top note.
Finish: Hints of honey are encountered with a soft, lingering finish reminiscent of plump sultanas and ripe cherries.
SirDavis signature cocktail: Honey Bee
Ingredients:
60ml SirDavis American Whisky
20ml fresh lemon juice
15ml honey syrup
Garnish: Honeycomb
Method:
Add liquid ingredients to a shaker tin with ice going in last. Shake for dilution and pour into a coupe glass. Garnish with honeycomb.
SirDavis Whisky Awards:
– 2023 Ultimate Spirits Challenge – 93 Points – Excellent Highly Recommend (US Rye Whiskey)
– 2023 Spirits International Prestige (SIP) Awards – Best In Class Platinum (American Whiskey)
– 2023 Spirits International Prestige (SIP) Awards – Platinum (American Straight Rye Whiskey)
– 2023 New York International Spirits Competition – 95 Points – Gold Winner (American Rye Whiskey)
*Note: this is a pre-sale, dispatch will only start on 4 September.